LIVE REVIEW: Enter Shikari @ HERE at Outernet, London

ENTER SHIKARI have lived up to a unique reputation for the last near 17 years as a band. The fall into a genre met by no other, mixing electronics with post-hardcore, grime and more recently, pop and classical elements. It’s a mixture that makes them formidable; hailed as one of the most innovative and well-loved acts in alternative music. 2023 sees them gearing up for a new album cycle, A Kiss For The Whole World released on April 21st. Tonight’s show at relatively new venue HERE at Outernet, is the penultimate date in the second round of their residency shows split across three months, seeing them play more intimate venues before they hit festival season with full force.

This tour sees the band continuing to champion UK talent, including CODY FROST, who recently featured on SHIKARI single Bull. There’s an atmosphere surrounding her set, as she tells the crowd she started out by posting covers on her YouTube channel, including several ENTER SHIKARI songs. Her set however, proves her as more than a fan living out her dream, but as an artist with a clear sense of musical identity. She performs with a tenacity, projecting her soulful voice as she marches the length of the stage. The set opens with Verbal Warnings, Cody repeating “Down, Down, Down” as her band provide a backbone of electronics and heavy bass. There’s a controlled aggression to the set, as Cody moves in almost effortlessly choreographed jolting movements, taking steps to the front of the stage to address her crowd. She sounds strong and balanced against an instrumentation that could easily drown her, but she rises above the heaviness to make her mark.

Rating: 8/10

AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS provide the darker notes of the evening with their breakdowns, growling vocals mixed with melodic licks, and a playful performance style. Vocalist Charlie Rolfe dances energetically, her skirt swirling as she stomps around the front of the stage. The first real crowd movement of the night starts during Flip Side, a track with verses that are reminiscent of MARMOZET’s spoken wailing vocals, and choruses that echo a new-wave metalcore sound. While the heavy vocals break through the wall of sound, the clean moments do get buried in the mix a little, meaning some of the stronger songs in their discography such as Ultraviolet are warmly welcomed, but perhaps don’t translate quite as well live. The band sound at their best during the cacophonous moments as a sludge of guitars build over the slapping drums. AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS‘ performance style is enthusiastic to say the least, with each band member not taking many moments to remain still, and it’s infectious, fulfilling their job at setting the tone before the headliners.

Rating: 7/10

ENTER SHIKARI need no introduction when it comes to their live sets. They’ve won countless live performance awards, and many of their fans attend multiple dates on each and every tour. And with good reason too. This is a labour of love, pillared by a crew that clearly value the band’s production as much as each member does. This may be a product of fun, with strobing lights, silly ad-libs and jesting crowd participation; but it’s clear each and every person involved in a ENTER SHIKARI show takes it very seriously. And it’s just that – a show. The set lays itself out as though it were a play. The stage is theirs, set and all, and its performers go through the motions of each act.

The setlist is jam-packed of fan favourites from start to finish, neglecting no corners of the band’s long career. The crowd soaks up each heavy hitter, warmly welcoming new single Bloodshot, to which drummer Rob Rolfe cheerfully announces his amusement at the strong reaction, noting how impressed he is that the audience are singing along just a week after the single’s release.

The level of care and energy that goes into the band’s set however, is exactly the reason their fanbase is as loyal as it is, and why they await new releases with open arms. The band give their all, with vocalist Rou Reynolds displaying his impressive range, particularly on old favourite Radiate while bassist Chris Batten thrashes his instrument as he almost taunts the crowd, grinning manically on Juggernauts.

The stage tonight however physically cannot hold the band’s intensity, as Rou disappears during the start of The Void Stares Back, only to be illuminated via spotlight moments later on the mezzanine balcony. He dangles off a high platform before storming through his audience upstairs to join guests on the other side of the venue, climbing over the railing, no doubt giving helpless onlooking security a fright, the heads below a scare, and the tube travellers something to talk about on the way home.

For a band that has spent almost two decades relentlessly delivering some of the most exciting music in the scene consistently, they unbelievably manage to make each show memorable from one another, earning all the badges and hype they receive.

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photos from the night’s action in London from Dev Place Photos here: 

Like ENTER SHIKARI on Facebook.